Collapsible shaft



March 24, 1925.

J. U. FORBES COLLAPSIBLE SHAFT Filed Nov. 15l 1924 -In/entor Fw waag,

Patented lMar. 24, 1925.

UNITED 'STATES JERRY u. romans, oromcmueri, omo.

coLLAPsIBLE SHAFT.

Application filed November 15K, 19,24.- Serial 1\To`.`750,148,

To ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JnnnrU. Fonens, a citizen `of the United States, residing at Cin-r cinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Collapsible Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to winder shafts for supporting and windingor unwinding paper or other sheet material, and its object is to provide a ,device yof this character which is conveniently removed from Vor inserted into a roll'of such material, of simple, light, conipact construction and having ample strength and durability. `A further obj-ect is to make such a device suitable for use where the material is wound by the application of the power through the shaft, or for use where the rotation is imparted through means `contacting with the periphery or outery convolution of the roll; in the latter case providing for secure fastening of the device in expanded conditionby simple and easily operated means whereby the device'soffastened may be quickly released and collapsed for removal from the roll. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description. e

I attain these objects by the `device, illustrated, Vfor example, inthe accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is aplan view, the device being` expanded; y

Fig. 2 ,is an enlarged sectional plan View of the same, thesectionbeingon the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3'; 1 Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same, panded;

Fig. 4t is a similar section, the device being contracted or collapsed; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device, eX- panded, with the initial fturnsof material therearound, illustrating the mann-er of startinga winding thereon.

As I prefer to construct my invention, there is a shaft 1 having a keyway extending longitudinally between two inversely positioned collars 2 and 3 near respective ends of the shaft, in which keyway is a key 4 e2;- tending from one collar to the other. The

portions of the shaft 1 between the collarsand the'respective ends of the shaft form the journals which will be understood to bear in suitable bearings, not shown, in the machine wherein the dev-ice is used, as a pape-ematica machina vhh bearnssae be opened yto allow the shaft to be .put in or taken out. of them. At suitable intervals between the collars2 and 3, cam members 5 are secured on the shaft 1 by the key 1. luthis example there aresix such camelem'entslin each of two groups separated by a considerably longerv interval. -midway of the.length` between Vthe collars 2 and S'g'theA sectional view in Fig. 2 showing. one of these groups and it being' understood that the other half of the length of the device,

omitted'in Fig. 42, is of thc same construction j as yregards thesecam members 5.1-

Each cam n'iember 5 `has its periphery formedfwith three cam surfaces all equally clamped toy the shaft lby the set screws 10,

preventy appreciable end `play `O ih@ Slew@ Sy relatively to the shaftV 1. The exterior of thesleeve 48 and the exterior-sof the` collars 2 and 3 areof the samejdiameter, so thattheir surfaces are practically continuous. 1. The cam members 5, keyed tightly to f the` shaft 1, are rotatable in the sleeve 8, as are the reduced parts ofthe collars. Thus. the shaft 1, members andvcollars 2 and can turn unitarily in the sleeve 8.

The collar 2 at one end, however, as shown in 2 and 5,has the screw pin 11 tapped intoitparallel with the shaft axisand centering inthe circle of contact of the sleeve 8 with the reduced part of the collar 2,.which parts have recesses l2fand 13 which may register; therecess y12v ofthe collar 2 being acOntinuatiOn ofthe opening into which the` screw pin 11 is tapped. This pin 11 has a reduced unthreaded end part or bit 151:, which when the screw pin is turned to one position occupies the recess 12only, but whenthe pin is turned 180 degrees `this bit 14 occupies the recess 13 ofthe sleeve 8, thereby locking the sleeve 8 and collar 2 together. l Preferably, this bit and thefrecesses are correspondingly, tapered, so `that the,

screw pin being screwed in slightly in the half turn, the bit 14 wedges in the recess 13 in the locking operation. ln its opposite position, with the bit 14 only in the collar Y recess 12, the shaft and attached parts can "5 sitely, the slots 15 extend almost to the respective collars 2 and 3. Each one of the three gripping bars 16 is of T-shaped crosssection throughout its length except in its middle part; the stem part of the T-shape extending out through a respective slot y15,

thus forming the exterior bearing element of the bar. The transverse part-s of the shape 18 -when the bars` 16 have been forced by the lie against corresponding cam surfaces 6 of the members 5, forming the inner bearing element of the bar as well as acting as a stop to prevent escape of the bar through the sleeve slot `15. These bars 16 thus ride on the cam surfaces 6; being pushed yout radi ally when the cam members 5 and sleeve 8 are rotated relatively to each other in' one direction, and being allowed to collapse radially inwardly when these parts are rotated relatively to each other in the opposite'direction. Preferably these cam membersv 5 and bars 16 are so proportioned that in the expanded position the inner bearing members of the bars engage againstthe interior of the sleeve 8 along the edgesk of the slots 15, and when collapsed vthe outer edges of the outer bearing members of these bars 16 lie even with the exterior surface of the sleeve 8. sothat, in collapsed condition, the device has a practically continuous cylindrical surface from onejournal part to the other, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The screw-pin receiving recess 13 is so located in the sleeve 8, with relation to the positioning of the cam members 5and the collar 2 with its screw pin 11 on the shaft `1, that the screw pin bit 14 can enter therecess cam members 5 to their most extended positions, which is vwhen these bars engage with and are stopped by the respectivestop members 7 ofthe cam members 5; so that the screw pin 11 locks the devicev in expanded condition. The opposite sides of the stop members k7 act as stops for the bars 16 at the limit of contraction, as seen in Fig. 4. Fig. 2 illustrates the expanded condition; but the screw p-in is shown in unlocking position. lVhen the device is used for winding with the motion imparted .through the shaft l, it is not necessary to lock the device with this pin 11; and it Will be understood that if the keeps the cam members o pushed tightly against the bars 16, which in turn bear tightly against the edges of the slots 15, preventing the bars 16 from traveling to the radially inward parts of the cam surfaces6 for collapse. l

However, where the winding is effected by allowing the roll to rest on driving rollers, and the shaft 1 merely has bearings to steady the roll while thus driven, there is no substantial tendency to hold the bars 16 outward. Therefore, to avoid the gradual slippage of these bars inward down the cam surfaces 6 in the jarringy incident to driving, which would result inthe steadying shaft becoming 'ungripped from the interior of the roll, Iprovidethe locking screw pin 11 as describedj n I lVhen the roll'is completed the shaft 1 is released from its bearingsvin a manner well known inthe artjas before mentioned herein, and, if the screw pin 11 has been used -to lock the device, it is given'. a half turn by a suitable wrenchiapplied to its hollow outer end part,releasingthe shaft tombe turned relatively to its sleeve '8, causing the bars 16 to ride ldowny away from the gripped roll, permitting' the entiredeviceto be withdrawn from the roll. For starting the winding, the shaft 1 isr turned inthe sleeve 8 to force the bars 16 up the cam surfaces 6, whereupon it may be locked by a half turn ofthe screw pin,11. shaft isput into its bearings, and the paper or other materialis', manually held to one ofthe bars 16 until a lsucceeding convolution of the material wraps tightly'over it, clamping it for initial winding as seen in Fig. 5. As the winding progresses the grip Then the f of the material around. theprojected bars 16 will be further tightened. `The device of course also is suitable for receiving a completed roll ,for unwinding; it being inserted into the roll and then expanded so that the bars 16 grip the interiorrofthe roll. Thus, my invention, lconstructed on a larger or smaller scale as the case may be, is suitable for use not only in 'paper making machines and other devices where sheet material,

rolled, woven 'or otherwise manufactured, is wound up in course of manufacture; but may be used' where rewinding'is' done, as in paper manufacture andthe like, or where thematerial is unwound for use, as in printing machines, registers' using long webs or tapes, andother similar devices.

By having Athe gripping elements 16 of considerable length, the material is gripped substantially uniformly; and by having these elements relatively narrow, the gripping pressure is concentrated and intensified weasel tion. Being of T shape, with their `wide parts against the cani elements, vthey have their greatest bearingl area where it is 'the morcrneeded: against the hard metallic cani surface where repeated friction occurs, rather than against the softer material where the friction is largely static with much less 'wearing action. position of the T shaped gripping elements 16 results in stoppage of these elements from escape through the slots l5, and, the outer `gripping,- parts being only of the width of the slots, they can be withdrawniiush with the surface, so that the device has a prac` tically unbroken peripheral surface when it is to be withdrawn from or inserted into a roll of niaterial, avoiding any difculty if the interior of the roll happens tof-be abraded, torn and rough. or the inner layei's of the roll wrinkled so as partially to clog the interior passage that is to receive the collapsible shaft. B v discontinuing the slots l5 at the middle of the device, undue weakening of the sleeve 8 is avoided; yet the resultant discontinuation of the ribs of the gripping members 16, weakening these at their iniddles, is not objectionable, owing` to the ample support of these members i6 by the cam members 5, arranged in the separate groups against the active port-ions of the gripping members 16.

The foregoing details of construction are preferred, for the reasons stated. I-Iowever, modifications may occur as to these details, as well as in the number of members lf3 and corresponding cani parts, or the nu1nher of cani members, or in` other respects, depending upon conditions of use.

rllhereforc, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to the precise` disclosure herein, but having' thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securcby Letters Patent'is:

l. In combination, a shaft, a. cam member fixed on said shaft, having its periphery made up of alternating eccentric surfaces and substantially concentric surfaces projected beyond thel eccentric surfaces, a sleeve rotatably fitting around said projected surfaces, having longitudinal slots opposite the respective eccentric surfaces, and bars bearing on the respective eccentric surfaces and projecting through the respective Slots.

2. In combination, a shaft, a cam member fixed oii said shaft, lia-ving its periphery made up of alternating eccentric surfaces and substantially concentric `surfaces projected beyond the eccentric surfaces, a

Also, this dissleeve -rotatably fitting around said projected surfaces, lhavinglongitudinal slots opposite the respective eccentric surfaces,

and bars, each of T-shaped cross-section,`

having its transverse members bea-ring on a respective eccentric surface and having the stein member of its cross-section projecting through the respective slot.

3. In combination, a shaft, collars fixed on saidshaft, a cam member fixed on said shaft between said collars, having its periphery made up of alternating eccentric surfaces and substantially concentric surfaces` projected beyondk the eccentric surfaces, a sleeve rotatably` fitting around said projected vsurfaces and having its ends` ro tatably 'fitting on the respective collars, said sleeve having longitudinal slots oppositethe respective` eccentric surfaces, and bars bearing` o-n the respective eccentric surfaces and projecting through. the respective slots.

4:. In combination.` a shaft, collars fixed on said shaft, a cam member fixed on said shaft between said collars, having its periphery made up of alternating eccentric surfaces and substantially concentric surfaces projected beyond the eccentric surfaces, a sleeve rotatably fitting around said proj ected surfaces and having `its ends rotatably fitting on the respective collars, said sleeve having longitudinal slots opposite the respective eccentric surfaces, locking means on one of said collars, adapted to be engaged with or disengaged from said sleeve, and bars bearing on therespective eccentric surfaces and projecting through the respective slots. p

5. In combination, a shaft, collars fixed on said shaft, a cam member fixed on said shaft between said collars, havingT its periphery madek up of alternating eccentric surfaces and substantially concentric surfaces projected beyond the eccentric surfaces, a sleeve rotatably fitting around said projectedsurfaces and having its `ends rotatably fitting on the respective collars, said sleeve having longitudinal slots opposite the respective eccentric surfaces, locking means rotatably mounted in one of said collars` and having a projection. adapted to be engaged with or disengagedV from said sleeve by rotationy of said locking means, and bars bearing on the respective eccentric surfaces and projecting through the respective slots. n

6. In combination, a shaft, collars fixed on said shaft, a cam member fixedon said shaft between said collars, having its peico riphery made up of alternating eccentric surfaces and substantially concentric surfacesA projected beyond the eccentric surfaces, a sleeve rotatably fitting around said projected surfaces and having its ends rotatably fitting on the respective collars, said sleeve having longitudinal slots opposite the .respective ,eccentric surfaces., one, of `rsa-iii cal lars and the adjacent part of the sleeve having recesses adapted to register, "locking means rotatably mounted in said one of said collars on an aXis substantially parallel with said shaft, having a projection enga'geable Within the sleeve recess or removable 'therefrom entirely into the collar recess upon rotation of said locking means, and bars bearing on the respective eccentric surfaces and projecting through the respective slots.

7. A collapsible shaft comprising a tubular member directly receiving material to be Wound thereon and having a longitudinal slot, a gripping member projecting through said slot and extending along said slot, and a cam member having a periphery comprish ing an eccentric surface and a substantially concentric surface projected beyond the eccentric surface and forming a bearing against the interior of the tubular member for rotation of the cam member in the tubular member, said gripping member bear ing aga-inst and being operatively supported by the eccentric surface of said cam member.

JERRY U. FORBES. 

